I actually got to ride in one of these, with siren blaring and light flashing. Godfather was a cop and drove me home from church after my first communion in one. I was the coolest kid in the neighborhood that day.

Pete Malloy: This black and white patrol car has an overhead valve V8 engine. It develops 325 horsepower at 4800 RPM's. It accelerates from 0 to 60 in seven seconds; it has a top speed of 120 miles an hour. It's equipped with a multi channeled DFE radio and an electronic siren capable of admitting three variables, wale, yelp, and alert. It also serves as an outside radio speaker and public address system. The automobile has two shotgun racks, one attached to the bottom portion of the front seat, one in the vehicle trunk. Attached to the middle of the dash, illuminated by a single bulb is a hot sheet desk. Fastened to which you will always make sure is the latest one off the teletype before you ever roll.

Jim Reed: Yes sir.

Pete Malloy: It's your life insurance and mine. You take care of it and it'll take care of you.

2xhelix:I actually got to ride in one of these, with siren blaring and light flashing. Godfather was a cop and drove me home from church after my first communion in one. I was the coolest kid in the neighborhood that day.[i.imgur.com image 640x512]

Got a ride in one similar to the second car in the picture. Back seat isn't nearly as comfortable as I'd have expected in a car that size. No door handles either, obviously quality was slipping.

Adam Carolla had a great quote from one of his CarCast podcasts about American cars celebrating technology that was already old by the time it was implemented: "Didn't matter if someone beat them by 20 years, they were bragging about what they had NOW."

They were talking about some car from the 80's that had "four wheel disc brakes" on the door handles, like it was a new invention.

In several countries I've visited in recent years, including Taiwan, Switzerland, and parts of France, the highway cops drive nice new 3-series BMWs. That's gotta be better than a 40-year-old Mopar sedan that was considered a pile of crap even in its day.

Cyberluddite:Even in its day, the Plymouth Satellite was an econobox POS.

In several countries I've visited in recent years, including Taiwan, Switzerland, and parts of France, the highway cops drive nice new 3-series BMWs. That's gotta be better than a 40-year-old Mopar sedan that was considered a pile of crap even in its day.

Highway cops, in France, also drive Subaru Imprezas. But you are far more likely to see motorcycle cops in souped-up BMWs or Yamahas, actually, on the highways.

2xhelix:I actually got to ride in one of these, with siren blaring and light flashing. Godfather was a cop and drove me home from church after my first communion in one. I was the coolest kid in the neighborhood that day.

Something about a front end with vertical headlights is soooo awesome.

padraig:Cyberluddite: Even in its day, the Plymouth Satellite was an econobox POS.

In several countries I've visited in recent years, including Taiwan, Switzerland, and parts of France, the highway cops drive nice new 3-series BMWs. That's gotta be better than a 40-year-old Mopar sedan that was considered a pile of crap even in its day.

Highway cops, in France, also drive Subaru Imprezas. But you are far more likely to see motorcycle cops in souped-up BMWs or Yamahas, actually, on the highways.

They switched to Renault Sport Megane 3 RS after wrecking near all the subbies...

Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

praymantis:Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

Ummm you don't understand why police cruisers need speed to catch up to people speeding...........?

Tat'dGreaser:praymantis: Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

Ummm you don't understand why police cruisers need speed to catch up to people speeding...........?

You don't need a V8 that gets 13 MPG for that there are plenty of 4 cylinder cars that can do that, things like turbo. It is evident that for sometime you can use a smaller engine and still get the performance when you need it. In addition 99.9% of the time when the lights are flashing people pull over.

praymantis:Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

Big issue is size, a Focus couldn't hold their equipment let alone have room for a perp in the back.

praymantis:You don't need a V8 that gets 13 MPG for that there are plenty of 4 cylinder cars that can do that, things like turbo. It is evident that for sometime you can use a smaller engine and still get the performance when you need it. In addition 99.9% of the time when the lights are flashing people pull over.

Tat'dGreaser:praymantis: Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

Ummm you don't understand why police cruisers need speed to catch up to people speeding...........?

I'm all for cop cars having large engines, but I gotta agree with praymantis on the SUV front. I don't understand why they'd drive one of those. I see them in the suburbs as well. Depending on the area I understand why, but highway patrol? I don't get it.

Tom_Slick:praymantis: Not even sure why cops are driving V8's still, with the price of gas they should all be driving a Ford Focus or some other 4 cylinder with much better gas mileage. I live in NY and it makes me crazy to see one cop on the NYS Thruway in a Suburban. They are wasting tax payers money and it needs to stop, and I am serious not trolling, it really is a pet peeve of mine.

Big issue is size, a Focus couldn't hold their equipment let alone have room for a perp in the back.

Does not have to be a Focus but there must be something out there better than a Suburban and a Crown Vic., especially for town or city cops. 13-15 MPG is a complete waste.